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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · chest · court · tube · rash · rock · file · dip

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. court — of a king
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chest — a box
  11. rash — a series
  12. court — for sport
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — of your body
  17. file — a document
  18. court — of law
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com